Stranger
by jackandsamforever
Summary: Liz finds that there's more to "Raymond" than meets the eye...and she's intrigued. AU. Written for the Lizzington Shippers gift exhange.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is written for Didou27 for the Lizzington Shippers gift exchange. It's not exactly what she asked for, but my muse took me a different direction. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint!

Warning: This is AU

* * *

Liz rubbed the small of her back tiredly as she waited for the last customer of the night to leave. As soon as he left, she would be able to count down the till and go home. Although "home" these days was nothing more than a run down apartment with a lumpy bed. Her only goal in life at the moment was to stay unnoticed. To fade into the background and blend in ever since she had learned that her life had been a lie. That Tom Keen wasn't actually real. That she was his "assignment" and nothing more.

She glanced at the man in the corner once more and sighed quietly. He had been sitting there for hours, wanting nothing more than tea and to be left alone. He was well dressed, considering the usual folk that walked in the old diner. He reminded her of one of those mobster characters from the old movies she used to watch with her dad, with a tight fitting vest and a hat set on the table. She wondered who or what he was waiting for. He didn't have any electronics to keep him occupied that she could see, and he'd read through his newspaper hours ago.

Liz finished wiping everything down, then waved to the cook in the back as he bid her goodbye. She hated closing because the part of town the diner was in was dangerous, but it was the only way she could get the amount of hours she needed in order to survive.

She was loathe to approach the strange man in the corner once again, but it was nearing midnight and she had another long shift the next day. Her tips had been measly that day, and her feet were really starting to ache. A combination that left her becoming increasingly angry that he was making her wait.

Finally, after another ten minutes, she walked up to him with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Excuse me, Sir, but it's closing time."

He looked up at her with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk on his face. She wanted to punch him.

"Oh, of course. I apologize for making you stay late."

When he offered nothing else, she glanced around the diner then back at him. "Were you waiting for someone?"

He began to gather his belongings and didn't look up as he said, "No, no one in particular."

Confused, but not caring enough to question him further, Liz stepped back and started towards the door to let him out.

She heard him stand as he spoke once more, "I was wondering if I could get an application."

She turned around in surprise and couldn't seem to form words. He had sat there all day so he could ask for an application? Why? He was definitely strange.

He had put his hat on and had a genuine smile on his face, all teeth and charm. When she didn't say anything, he stepped forward with his hand held out. "I'm Raymond. I just moved here and don't have a source of income, so I desperately need a job. Are you hiring?"

She reached forward and shook his hand briefly, still wary of him, but his smile did something to her insides that she wasn't used to feeling. Using her alias name, she said, "I'm Jen, and you're in luck, we actually need a night cook for the weekdays."

His smile brightened briefly before it faded, like he wasn't used to smiling for that long. He leaned towards her slightly and raised his eyebrow again. "May I have an application please?"

She shook her head, breaking her trance like stare at his face and nodded; unsettled by her reaction to his close proximity. Clearing her throat, she thumbed behind her and said, "Let me go get one. I'll just be a second."

He nodded and fixed his hat as she turned and hurried to where to applications were kept. She returned a few moments later to find that he hadn't moved, much to her relief. He took the proffered application with a small nod, then followed her as she opened the door for him. He passed through the doorway, then turned, his eyes hidden in the dark under the brim of his hat. "Who do I need to speak to tomorrow about working here?"

She opened the door a little wider and glanced behind him, wary of the dark shadows and noises coming from outside. "Joe will be here in the morning, he's the manager."

He touched the brim of his hat in thanks, then turned and walked into the dark without another word.

Liz closed the door quickly and locked it, unsettled by not only the dark, but the strange encounter with "Raymond". He was intriguing, but there was something about him that was setting off her warning bells and she couldn't figure out why.

She didn't know him from anywhere...right?

OOOOOO

The next day, Liz walked in for her shift with heavy eyes and an aching back. She hadn't managed much sleep that night because she had kept imagining "Tom" bursting into her apartment and taking her away or killing her on the spot. Then when she had finally managed to think about something else, Raymond wormed his way into her thoughts. What was it about him that kept her thoughts returning to him?

She clocked in, greeting her co-workers with a small smile and nothing more. As she reached for her apron hanging from a hook next to the time clock, she heard a voice that froze her in her place. It was "his" voice. Raymond's.  
He was talking about the menu, apparently being trained by the cook who usually just worked the weekends. She grabbed the apron off the hook and spun around to see that his back was to her. He was wearing a thin, white shirt and well-fitting, black pants with a white apron tied loosely at his back. As soon as she recovered, she plastered the fake smile back on her face and said loudly, "Looks like you got the job. Congrats."

He stopped talking mid-sentence and turned towards her. Giving her a thin-lipped smile as he nodded. "Thank you. I think this will be perfect for my needs." With that, he turned back around and pointed at something, asking the cook a question she couldn't hear.

A little put off by his abrupt dismissal, she slid her apron over her head and walked out to the front, her thoughts once again on Raymond and her strange urge to want to know more about him.

The night passed quickly with it being busier than usual. She never had time to see how he was doing, but the food came out as fast as ever and there were no complaints about the food; which actually was a little unusual.

When it came time to close and all her work was done, she walked to the back to see him leaning against a table with his hands braced against the side. When she raised her eyebrows questioningly, he shrugged and said, "I thought I would walk you to your car. This part of town isn't exactly safe."

"You don't think I can take care of myself?" She teased, only half-serious as she slid her coat on.

He stood straight and walked over to the door. "Of that, I have no doubt. It just isn't in me to let you walk by yourself at night."

Not having the energy to argue, she just nodded and followed him out the back door and towards her car. The nights were beginning to get colder and she wrapped her thin, worn coat tightly around her. She would somehow have to come up with enough money to buy a heavier coat. Or maybe she could find one at the local Goodwill. She glanced out of the corner of her eye to see that he was removing his coat. She stopped and turned to him, "What are you doing?"

He quickly slipped his coat over her shoulders and continued walking. "Your coat isn't heavy enough for this weather, Jen."

She wanted to protest, but he was already too far away and she could feel the looming shadows of nighttime beginning to press in on her. She slipped her arms inside his coat, surprised that it was only a little bit too big, then hurried to catch up.

She knew he wouldn't take it back from her, so as soon as she caught up, she thanked him. "I've been meaning to buy a heavier coat, but haven't had the chance. So thank you."

He looked at her skeptically, but nodded in acknowledgment.

They reached her car soon after and she reached up to take his coat back off. It really was a nice coat. He stopped her with a shake of his head. "Keep it until you get yourself one that's actually warm enough."

She sighed, but nodded and opened her door. "Do you work tomorrow?"

He nodded. "I'll be training for the rest of the week. You?"

She nodded as well. "Of course. I only ever get Sundays off."

His lips turned up a little as he watched her get in the car and turn it on. "Have a good night, Jen."

He shut her door with a nod, then turned and walked away. She watched him go as she waited for her car to warm up a little. He didn't seem to have a car and she wondered if she should offer him a ride, but not seeing him anymore, she shrugged and pulled out of the little parking lot and headed towards her apartment. His scent surrounding her and thoughts of him consuming her.

OOOOOO

The next two weeks played out much the same. They greeted one another at the beginning of their shift and he walked her to her car at the end, and she still hadn't returned his coat, which she now wore every day to and from work. He never asked for it back, so that made her feel less guilty about basically taking hostage of it. It was warm and comfortable, and smelt like him, which was a mixture of Sandalwood and something else she couldn't identify.

Their conversations had finally become less stilted and awkward, getting to the point where she actually enjoyed talking to him. He was funny and extremely charming. She frequently forgot about her troubles when they talked, and she found that she was starting to miss him on Sundays when she didn't see him; but she tried her best not to think about that, because that made things complicated. And she didn't need any more complications in her life at the moment.

One month after he had begun working there, she walked in the back and found him cooking something on the grill. It didn't smell like anything they sold at the diner and she sidled up to him quickly. "What are you making?"

He nudged her with his shoulder and prodded the piece of meat with his prongs. "My dinner. It's just the steak we sell here, just a little more dressed up."

She inhaled and closed her eyes, the smell taking her back to her childhood when she would go with her dad to the local steakhouse. She loved steak.

Instead of telling him any of that, she said instead, "I don't think you're supposed to be doing that."

He shrugged and flipped the steak. "I'm cooking my dinner and I'll make sure and pay for it. Does that make you feel better?"

It did, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"So how come you've never cooked here before."

She saw him smile and smiled herself. "I didn't want to show up my trainer," he stated seriously.

She punched him in the shoulder lightly, for once not over-analyzing her every move. "You're entirely too qualified to be working here."

"Because I know how to cook a steak?"

She shook her head. "I can just tell. I wish I knew how to cook. Boiling water is about all I can manage."

He said nothing further, and they both watched in comfortable silence as he finished cooking the steak.

As he put it in a to go box, he finally spoke. "I could teach you."

She had been zoning out, lost in thought but quickly recovered. "Oh, I don't think so. I don't want to be a bother."

He smiled in response and shook his head. "You could never bother me, Jen. Count on that."

A little taken back by the serious look in his eyes, she nodded. "I would love for you to teach me, Raymond."

* * *

 **AN2:** I plan on posting chapter two soon. Hopefully by the end of the week. Please let me know what you think. :)


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hello again! I know its been _almost_ an entire year since I last wrote anything for Lizzington, but I had a wonderful reader over on AO3 request that I finish this fic. I felt guilty enough to try, I only hope it doesn't disappoint too much. I'm going to do my best to finish up a couple of other fics as well. Watch for those. ;)

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. :)

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Raymond used almost every opportunity available to teach Liz how to cook when they weren't busy. He knew their manager wouldn't approve, so he would only pull her aside when Joe was out on the floor or off the clock for the night. He began with the basics and taught her how to fry an egg, cook bacon, make a pancake etc. When she mastered those, he moved on to more difficult things, like how to tell the the temperature on a steak, and how to bake the diner's famous chicken.

She was having the time of her life. Not only was she feeling more confident about herself in general, but her and Raymond were in a good place. She felt like she could tell him anything.

Well, almost anything.

She kept her real identity and past close to her heart. He was a good listener, and she was beginning to rely on him more than she should be. She just couldn't stop. She didn't want to stop.

Two months to the day that she first met him, he walked her out to her car like he usually did. When she pulled her door open and moved to sit down, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Jen..I.."

When he didn't say anything else, she moved closer to him and canted her head in question.

He sighed and gave her a little closed mouthed smile. "I want you to come over to my apartment so I can teach you some things that I can't at the diner, but I'm not sure if that's appropriate or not."

She didn't really know where their relationship was heading, but she didn't mind spending more time with him. She knew almost next to nothing about him. He'd chosen to remain silent during most of their conversations, only asking her about her recent past and her dreams for the future. It had bothered her, but he was so charming that she'd just ignored it. For all she knew, he was a serial killer. Although, she was pretty confident that he wasn't anything like that.

She smiled brightly and reached for his hand without thinking. "I don't see why not. We're both adults right?"

He nodded and squeezed her fingers lightly before taking a step back. "We are." He pursed his lips in thought. "May I call you?"

She laughed and slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Exactly how old _are_ you?"

When he shrugged his shoulders in confusion, she shook her head. "Just text me. That's much easier than calling."

"If you'd prefer, but I actually enjoy talking on the phone. It's more personal." He pulled his phone out without waiting for her response and asked for her number. After he inputted it into his phone, he opened her door wider and gestured for her to get in. "It's getting late and we both have to work tomorrow. I was thinking we should continue our lessons on Sunday, or would you rather have your only day off to yourself?"

"Sunday sounds perfect. I'm really looking forward to it." She shuffled her feet a little awkwardly for a beat before deciding that she was feeling bold. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly for a brief moment. She didn't know why she felt the urge to touch him so strongly, but she instantly felt better when his arms tightened around her in return. She pushed away from him before she could get any other ideas and slid into her car.

Raymond shut the door behind her and she rolled the window down. "Do you need a ride?"

He chuckled quietly, his voice a rumble in the quiet night. "I only have a short walk. I'll be fine. Goodnight, Jen."

She smiled. "Suit yourself. See you tomorrow."

As she drove off, she couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She was feeling something for this man that she probably shouldn't. He was much older than her, but she didn't care. He was the best thing in her life at the moment, and she didn't want that to change anytime soon.

OOOOOO

When Sunday rolled around, she was a nervous wreck. He'd texted her his address that first night, and since then, they'd been conversing on and off through text for two days. They talked about random things. He often asked her her opinion about something he'd read in the news or saw on TV. She didn't know why he even found her opinion interesting, but she loved it all the same. It made her feel important, which she hadn't felt since she'd lived at home with her dad; but then he'd passed away and she'd met "Tom" and her life had fallen apart. She was only now just beginning to feel like someone who mattered. All thanks to Raymond and his mysterious appearance in her life.

She dressed in one of her nicest outfits, which consisted of a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue silky blouse, completed with black knee-high boots that she'd found for a great deal at the Good-will. It was pretty sad that she didn't have anything nicer to dress in, but she was poor. She knew he wouldn't mind anyway, he never seemed to notice the "poor" aspect about her.

She drove to his apartment a little early, realizing that he only lived about five minutes away from her. When she knocked on his door, she shifted from foot to foot nervously, biting her lip when she heard the door unlock.

As it swung open, she was greeted with a smiling Raymond dressed a lot more casually than even she was. "Hello Jen, I'm so glad you're here." He motioned for to come in, but when she stepped over the threshold she stopped in her tracks. His apartment was absolutely spotless, and very tastefully decorated. He gently pushed her forward so he could close the door.

Before he could say anything else, she turned to him with a surprised expression on her face. "Are you secretly a woman or have one hiding in here?"

He laughed; an actual belly laugh that she'd never thought would come out of him. It made her heart race and her toes curl. The only word that came to mind when she watched him was 'adorable'. She would never say that out loud though.

When he finally stopped laughing, he slid her (well, his) coat off of her shoulders and hung it up on the rack behind him. "Whatever makes you think that?"

She shrugged and walked a little further into the room. "I've just never seen a man who was so clean and so decoratively inclined."

He moved away from her and gestured for her to follow. "It's a hobby. I find that an organized house is much more preferable to a messy one."

"Can you come live with me? Geeze." She hadn't realized what she'd said until she saw him smile again. "I..well..I mean..you.."

He stopped her with a raised hand. "No need to explain, I knew what you meant. Shall we get started?"

She swallowed, suddenly nervous, and nodded. "I guess."

He looked at her and narrowed his brows. "Whatever is the matter?"

She studied his beautifully upgraded kitchen. "I just don't want to mess up your kitchen." That wasn't really why she was nervous, but it was the first thing that came to mind. She was actually nervous because her feelings were growing for him and she didn't want his perception of her to be ruined. Cooking in the diner was one thing, but this was completely different.

He patted her shoulder and walked past her. "Don't worry about that. It'll be fine, Jen."

She cringed at the sound of her fake name and almost, _almost,_ told him the truth. She stopped at the last second though. She still didn't know anything about him.

She took the apron he offered her and quickly slid it on and tied it at the back. "So, what are you teaching me today?"

He pulled out a Kitchen-Aid mixer and set it on the counter in front of him. "Today, we're going to do something a little different than what I've been teaching you at work. We're going to make bread."

She blinked in surprise. That was actually something that she'd always wanted to do, but never had anyone to teach her how. Liz smiled and moved closer to him. "That actually sounds perfect." It was almost like he could read her mind.

He smiled and gestured for her to move over in front of the bowl.

"Now, the first thing we're going to do is activate the yeast."

OOOOOO

Ninety minutes later found her with flour all over her hands and apron and a big pile of dough on the counter in front of her. He was teaching her how to properly knead it, but she continually found herself staring at his hands and forearms flex as he demonstrated what to do. "Jen..Jen.. _Jennn._ "

She startled and looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, I was uh, trying to remember if I turned my stove off."

His lips twitched in amusement as he looked at her. She could tell he didn't believe her, but he didn't call her out on it either. "Would you like to try?"

She nodded and put her hands on the dough, then folded it in half and tried to do it like he showed her. It wasn't as easy as it looked.

"Here, let me show you again." Instead of stepping in front of her, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, then placed his hands on top of hers. Her heart began beating so loudly that she was sure that he could hear it. He moved her hands the way they were supposed to, but all she could think about was the solid chest behind her and the mouth right next to her ear.

They stood that way for probably longer than necessary. Deciding to take a chance, she suddenly turned in his arms and crashed her lips over his. When he responded by moving them to the side and lifting her up on the countertop, she ran her hands over his shoulders and pulled him between her legs. He grabbed onto her upper thighs and moved his tongue into her mouth. She couldn't do anything but moan as he took over and showed her how good of a kisser he was. She never wanted it to end.

But then that damned little voice in the back of her head needled at her, made her feel guilty for not telling him the entire truth about her life. She pulled away from his mouth with a little popping noise and pushed him back a little, her breaths coming out in hard gasps. "Wait, I-"

He stepped away from her and grimaced. "I apologize, Jen. I don't know-"

She cut him off. "My name isn't Jen."

He narrowed his eyebrows and studied her with pursed lips. "I know."

"I said my name isn't really Jen. It's Eliza-..wait, what? You know? How?!"

He sighed and leaned against the counter behind him. "Do you really want to get into this right now?"

She slid off the counter angrily. "Of course I do. Did Tom put you up to this? That _bastard._ You son of a bi- _"_

Raymond held up his hands to stop her tirade. "I don't know who Tom is, Lizzie, but I did know who your father was. He was one of my best friends."

"Wait..what?!" She was dumbfounded. Rendered absolutely speechless by his pronouncement.

He folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes momentarily. "Before your father died, he asked me to look after you. To make sure you were safe and cared for. Now, I never expected to fall in lo-" He stopped and looked away. "I never expected to like you so much, or to enjoy your company. You were just this abstract idea until I actually met you."

She took a step towards him, furious. "I can't believe you've been lying to me all this time. Using me just like my son of a bitch, ex-husband. How. Dare. You." She poked him in the chest emphasizing each word until he grabbed her finger and pulled it away from his chest.

"Remember Lizzie, you haven't exactly been truthful with me either."

She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Because I didn't know who to trust! Tom has connections, knows people. I've been running away from that life for a long time. I can't let him find me."

He let go of her finger and sighed. "You're safe, you can be sure of that."

She shook her head in disgust and turned away from him. "Is your name even Raymond?"

"It is, but most of my acquaintances call me Red. A play off of my last name, Reddington."

Liz took the apron off and walked away from him over to the door. As she unlocked it, she turned to look at him one last time. "I don't ever want to see you again."

He looked stricken, but she turned and walked out without another word. The hurt in her chest was even more painful than her discovery of Tom's betrayal. She held off the tears until she was alone in her car, then cried the entire way back to her apartment.

How was she going to pick up the pieces of her life _again_?

OOOOOO

Weeks passed and she neither saw Raymond nor heard from him again. She still hurt, but the pain diminished each and every day that passed by. He never again showed up for his job at the diner. Joe had asked her if she knew what happened to him, but she had just shrugged. It didn't matter anymore.

She missed Raymond, if she was honest with herself, and after thinking about what he'd told her, she understood why he'd been less than truthful with her. She'd decided that if she ever saw him again, she would forgive him. She had lied to him after all. He'd been friends with her dad, and that told her more than anything what kind of man he was.

Six weeks after that fateful day in his apartment, she slowly trudged out to her car while rubbing her lower back. It had been a hell of a shift, and it was only Tuesday. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

She glanced up and halted when she saw a dark figure leaning against her car. For a second she thought it was Tom coming back to finish the job, but she quickly realized that the body shape and height was all wrong. It couldn't be him.

"Hello?" She called out tentatively while reaching into her purse and pulling out her pepper spray.

The person pushed themselves away from her car and approached her with raised arms, a low, rumbling voice sounded over the distance between them, "I'm not here to harm you."

He stepped under the lone parking lot light, and she relaxed instantly. She knew he wasn't here to hurt her. "What do you want, Raymond?"

He quirked his mouth. "You."

She coughed a little, surprised. "Excuse me?"

"I want you. I miss you terribly, Lizzie."

She held back the little sob that tried to break free from her throat and covered her mouth. "I can't trust you. You were lying to me. How could I ever forgive you?"

He shrugged and took a step forward. "You _can_ trust me. I don't have anything else to conceal from you. I was only doing what your father asked of me. I truly never meant to fall in love you with you, sweetheart."

She blinked back tears to no avail as they spilled over her cheeks. She bit back another sob as she began running towards him. She believed him.

As she threw herself into his arms, she finally let herself cry and buried her face in his neck. He rubbed his hands up and down her back and whispered comforting words in her ear as she held on for dear life.

When she finally pulled back a little, he wiped her tears away with his thumbs and kissed each cheek before kissing her lips softly.

She gave him a watery smile and kissed him back lingeringly. "I love you too, you know. I'm sorry for running away."

He shook his head and pulled her back into his arms. "No matter. Let's get out of this depressing place and find somewhere else we can talk. Can I drive you home?"

She smiled and nodded her head. She hoped he would take her home every night from now on. She hadn't expected to fall in love again. Especially not with this man. This wonderful man who had only been a friend to her when she needed one the most.

Elizabeth Milhoan found herself grateful for all the things that had lead up to this moment, because it made loving Raymond Reddington all the more sweeter in the end.

 _~fin_


End file.
